Sketchbook Doodle 2x2

So I realized the other day that it had been quite some time since i'd uploaded anything onto my youtube art account, so I started recording some of my sketchbook doodles.  Here's the latest, which is of Sailor Pluto/Setsuna Meioh, who is the solitary guardian of time.  She stands alone at the gates of time, protecting the portal.  I used the song " Dust to Dust" by The Civil Wars, which you can purchase on iTunes; support the artist!  ...support both artist ;)

The Vien Quang Buddhist Monastery and where I got jacked up by a caterpillar

So, suffice it to say, South Carolina has a lot of surprises, although Vlad insists that this is so close to North Carolina that it really shouldn't count, but regardless;  in Clover, SC, there is a fabulous Buddhist Monastery called the Vien Quang Buddhist Monastery that is open to the public for prayer/visiting, and you know we went.

They are still in the process of building on the grounds, but the location is beautiful, and a lot of care has been put into the temple and surrounding area.  All of the statues have plagues written in Vietnamese on them, as well as providing incense to burn.  Many had fruit and various other offerings set up around them, and it was absolutely beautiful to see.

The base of the main statue at the front entrance.

We parked, paid our respects, and began to wander the grounds, stopping at each temple to admire the artistry and care administered to each.  I wish I knew more about this particular branch, but it made me feel nostalgic for Siam/Siam Reap, in tiny little ways.

Vlad said they had already added a lot on since the last time he had visited, which was apparently during a festival, and you could see them working on various other temple spots along the way.  I'd be interested in returning here once I visit him again, to see the progress/changes that have been incorporated into the site.

New friend that I scared on accident.

We found a bench beside one of the temples and sat for a while.  As with the rest of the trip, the weather was really nice and it was just very peaceful to relax out there.

I also found one of my old friends, from when I used to live in North Carolina!  I have no idea what these guys are actually called, but I used to call them Wooly Bears, and believed they told the weather.  If they were mostly brown, it was warming up, but if they were mostly black, it was going to stay cold for a while.   ...I frankly have no idea where that theory came from, but there you have it.

  There was also a bee that decided to buzz by us at one point, making me jerk my hand (and Vlad throw his water bottle into the water, which he then had to retrieve) and the caterpillar actually bit me.  I don't think i've ever been bit by a caterpillar before, so this was new.  It turned into a big red bump that is still on my finger, nearly two weeks later.

Just some more photos from the complex~

Hiking in South Carolina...or was it North Carolina...or was it all along the state line -

So I recently got home from seeing a good friend of mine for the first time in five years, and it was absolutely fantastic.  We hiked in three or four different locations, which is always an automatic win in my book.  He lives close to the state line, so we kind of crisscrossed our way around parks.  

The swing bridge that Vlad tried to bounce me off of.

The first park we went to is Anne Gables park, which had a cool little swing bridge, donkeys, and old cabins that had been relocated a few feet to their final resting places.  Sounds dramatic, eh?  The hiking wasn't very arduous, but it was a nice little way to spend a few hours. They also had several other fall related things going down, such as a corn maze, hay rides, and things of the such, but we circumvented all of that and wandered down the trails.  If I remember correctly ( we went to so many parks)  this place offered various camping locations, as well as canoeing on their little pond.

The beginning of misdirection.

 We ended up wandering around various spots that weren't really marked on the trails, which was kind of fun/ny.  At first it was on accident, but then it more or less turned into a " ...well we've come this far" sort of thing.  Sound logic, I know, but we wandered quite a bit of land that was not marked on the park map, and yet still part of the park trails.  I don't know what happened, really, we ended up using litter as markers and I quote, " na, cause I remember that tree" as guide markers.

 We spent one of those nights chillin' at a park after dark, lookin' at the stars and listening to a coyote howling in the distance.  It was a really cold night, so the sky was super clear, which was awesome because it enabled us to see all the stars.  I was looking for shooting stars but never saw one.  Guess I looked around too much.  The coyote was really cool to hear, although he sounded really lonely.  We heard one respond, but he sounded way far off and in the distance, and only answered him back a few times before it faded into silence, with just the one calling out by himself.  It was kind of sad to listen to, really.

The other park we hiked a good deal at was Crowder's Mountain, which was by far my favorite hike of the four we did.   This park is in North Carolina, in the Gastonia area.  I haven't heard great things about Gastonia, but I do know that I love this mountain, and I loved this hike.  My opinion on the surrounding area remains uninformed personally.

  This hike was more strenuous than any of the others, but nothing too bad, honestly.  The path we took was one of the harder ones, and as a result we only passed three people, with you basically just crawling over rocks and walking across open gaps in some areas, but it was a whole lot of fun.

  There were a couple of spots along the way where you could just chill out on some open rock face of the mountain, and have a great view of the surrounding area around you.  One day, I want to go back up there with glow in the dark chalk and draw all over this one gap, and wait for it to get dark.  That would be legit, and the art nerd in me would be hella pleased.

One of the various sitting areas that I climbed out 

There are several different trails you could take in this park, but we hiked along the Crowder's Trail, to Rocktop trail, and then looped around to take a different segment of Crowder's Trail back down to the lot.  Supposedly this is a free camping area as well, meaning you can set up camp in any area you like so long as you don't destroy the area.  This would be fun to do.  We also discussed doing a really long hike which starts in a different park, and then connects through, but we stayed up ridiculously late the night before and yeah, that just wasn't happening.  Next time though.  Next tiiiimmme.

Top of Crowder's.

 I was vaguely surprised to see the number of people once we actually got to the top of Crowder's, but there were enough places to sit where you weren't just surrounded by them.  Turns out, theres a relatively easy access path (or maybe I should say comparatively)  coming up the other side of the mountain, which we took part of on the way down.  It had steps cut into it, and thats were most of those people came up through.

Yoooo.

It was cold.

I was really happy we did these hikes, as the woods in Florida don't really cater to the type of hiking I enjoy.  The weather was perfect, the hike was awesome, and I got to spend time with a friend I haven't seen in forever doing something I enjoy.  If I lived in this area of North Carolina, i'd apply for a job at this park for sure.

The Color Run: Happiest 5k on the Planet! and another item off the bucket list.

I ran my first official 5k yesterday, and I'm fairly certain that The Color Run couldn't have been a better choice as far as breaking into the sport goes.

The Color Run is a 5k that mimics the look of the Indian festival, Holi.  Holi is an amazing celebration that takes place the day after the first full moon in the Indian month of Phalguna (early March.)  Now, as a young child, I saw photos of Holi and was immediately fascinated.  It just seemed like the most amazing thing to me, to see all these people throwing the color around and up into the air.  As an adult, I learned that Holi was a festival to celebrate the return of Spring, while also commemorating various events in Hindu culture.  One day, I hope to be around for a proper Holi celebration, as the more I learn about it and its cultural meanings, the more I can appreciate the act.
However, since I am in Florida and have no means to see the celebration properly, I signed up for The Color Run, as a way to experience the color aspect, and an excellent starter for my first official run.

Happiest 5k on the planet!

Someone inform Bradley.

Since the race was in Orlando, we had to get up at 5 am here to get there, get parked, and everything sorted.  Luckily, I had gone the day before for packet pick up (this also counts as Check In for those of you unfamiliar with the process) and had scouted out the parking and general area, which proved to be QUITE helpful, as there was construction going on around The Citrus Bowl that we were able to bypass on the actual day of. 

So, quick over view for those of you reading this who are new to the game like I was: Packet Pick Up was held at a Sports Authority in this case, and went super quick.  We showed up, I brought my ID and a release form to pick up Bradley's, along with our confirmation codes.  They didn't look at that, but I'd rather have it on me just in case they weren't able to find me by my ID for some reason.  They gave me my bib and directed me to another stand where I got a bag for both of us.  Inside each packet/bag was a t-shirt, a head band, some temporary tattoos, pins to secure your race number to your shirt, a wrist band (that you apparently put on for yourself at the event, although no one was checking this as far as I saw), and a color packet for the big color party at the end of the race.  It was kind of hard to hear in here because they had the speakers set up really close, but between those two tables, you got your stuff.  They had another booth set up where you could buy some official Color Run gear if you wanted.

Of note:  There is no where to store what you bring with you to the event, so rock that fanny pack or bring a bag that you're willing to run with, cause there is no storage.

Bradley and I making our way to the starting line.

Once we parked and wandered in, my pre-race anxiety transformed into ease and excitement.  There was music playing, a group run warm up party going on from the stage, as well as some various vendors (give-aways) set up.  There's also multiple stands set up again for those who are doing packet pick up that day, with signs saying PACKET PICK UP/CHECK IN.  Know that Check In is what you did when you picked up your packet prior to the event (if thats what you did), so theres no need to go over there for race day check in.  They also have a booth set up selling the official gear again if you pined away over it all the night before.  There's also a few chances to randomly win things for free, as they're tossing bags, hats, fanny packs and the such from the start gate as you run through, as well as from the stage/color party area at the end of the event.  They also are tossing out TONS of color packets here to really make the event fun, so no stress if you got a little excited and opened your packet before the event.  Just know, you gotta have some grabby hands if you're gonna catch yourself a packet.  

Pink! First check point.

So!  The race started!  People walking tended to stay to the right side, people jogging on the left, and the middle was sort of a free for all.  Thankfully it didn't rain on us, and the clouds provided a nice over cast that kept it from being too hot (oh Florida.)  Some locals came out and were waving and cheering along the path, which was nice.  The cops were all cheering and high fiving people along the way as well.  The check points came quickly, as a 5k is only 3.1 miles, but they were exciting and spaced far enough to keep the motivation going.  It was like a little pepper-upper when you see the colored banners and tunnels coming up.  

It was also pretty cool to see the color clouds.  The Color Runner volunteers know to aim low when people are going through, but you are going to be running through what is basically corn starch, so I recommend glasses and/or a bandanna.  If you're asthmatic, I also recommend keeping your inhaler ON you, especially if you go to the color party at the end.  I did manage to get a little of this in my eyes towards the end, and its not the most comfortable feeling, but was cleared up pretty quickly by some water.

Speaking of water, there was only one water station on the run, marked with green banners, but for such a short run, it was plenty. There are also plenty of trash cans provided SO PLEASE FOR THE LOVE ALL WHAT YOU FIND HOLY, USE THEM. They are, however, passing out plenty of water bottles once you come through the finish line!  The one I got was nice and cold, and I saw TONS of them lined up for passing out.  There's also a station near the finish line to get the loose dust blown off of you.

Since the Color Run is not a timed event, it was really light hearted and easy going.  Saw lots of costumes and smiles, people of all ages and fitness levels participating.  To me, it seems like the perfect event for people who aren't really hardcore runners but who have always wanted to give the whole thing a shot.  I'm really glad it was my entry race into this sort of activity, and while there are no medals (some people seem to only run for medals?), the whole experience is more than worth it in my opinion.

Bradley and I after the Color Party.

The Color Party at the end was a fun way to finish things off, just watch for flying packets as they tend to be attracted to peoples faces.  This goes down every 15 minutes, I believe, so even if you miss the first one, they're doing this in waves as people come in from completing the event. It's worth going to, and its also worth watching from afar.  Its pretty amazing to see all the color go flying in the air, and a completely different experience both in and out.

 Some general notes:

• Running on a treadmill and running outside are two completely different experiences, so know that.  However, running on a treadmill is still a great thing to do if you can't get outside.
• Bring a towel, and maybe even a wear an undershirt to change shirts before you get in your car.  When I jumped in the shower, it looked like I had run the whole thing in a bikini and not a full shirt and pants.
• The Blue color seems to be especially clingy.
• While its lots of fun and I enjoy changing the shower water color every time I take a shower, I think next time I will be running with a hat on.
• Also be prepared with a scrubby or something for your shower after this event.  Your whole body will be in need of some 'exfoliating.' 
• I recommend proper running shoes.  I heard lots of people saying their feet really hurt, and every single one of them were just wearing casual tennis shoes.

Go into the arts. I’m not kidding. The arts are not a way to make a living. They are a very human way of making life more bearable. Practicing an art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow, for heaven’s sake. Sing in the shower. Dance to the radio. Tell stories. Write a poem to a friend, even a lousy poem. Do it as well as you possibly can. You will get an an enormous reward. You will have created something.

— Kurt Vonnegut 

Spreading the love

So, I have this notebook that I keep, and in this  notebook, all the people who matter to me have a page with their name written on the very top, and on their page, I write all the wonderful things that I think and love about that person but never tell them.  

Its a little project I started in order to force myself to really examine the thoughts I have about the people in my life, and my relationship with them. As I sat there looking at the names of all these people, who mean so much to me in various ways, I started to wonder how often I actually say any of these nice things to them.  Its so easy to insult someone, or make a snide comment, or just get lost in the negativity of the small things that bother you day in and day out about a person, that I think we lose sight of the fact that people need to hear the nice things too.  Even if we think them and truly feel them, if its only negative/sarcastic comments that roll off the tongue, I think we're cheating ourselves and them of feeling that happiness and security that comes with knowing you are valued.  I'm not saying profess your undying love, but that so often we just assume ' they know', and maybe they do, on a level, know that we love them, but whats the harm in saying it?  If you've ever been involved in a program, think of it this way:  Have you ever had a coach or instructor that ONLY told you what you were doing wrong, and eventually it felt so exhausting and tiring, and as if you weren't doing anything right at all? This is what its like in all your daily interactions. It comes in all those sighs of exhaustion, the eye rolls, the small moments of annoyance because we're familiar and things that we'd perhaps over look with another person, we allow to bother us.  Those sarcastic comments add up when they're the only things that come out of your mouth, and slowly but surely will beat a person down.

sayinggoodbye.org

Perhaps its a bit too early and i'm a bit too tired to try to phrase these thoughts properly, but I was thinking back on how from the very beginning, we're kind of groomed by society to not show affection as openly as we do negativity.  Brass, loud actions of aggression are supported ( think how sports/athletics are celebrated, for a general example) whereas things that involve expression are often cut out of programs, slashed in the budget, and just not as celebrated (art, theater, music programs)...  from as early as elementary school, a classic form of teasing is "ooOoooOoo, you like so and so!", as if finding someone enjoyable is a bad thing.  Again, i'm perhaps too groggy to try to really explain how these are all connected but i'm hoping that me getting these thoughts out are at least getting it rolling in other peoples heads.  Imagine how different a nation we would be if we valued the arts just as much (at least!) as we do our sports programs. 

So...yeah. I don't have a nice little bow to tie this up with, just some thoughts.  I'm trying to actively work on this though...sharing my thoughts with those that matter to me.  So far its really weirding people out, which is both amusing and just going to show that my thoughts are correct on this, starting with family.

In which I climb the peak and am on top of the (very tiny) world

So, recently I got to go back to Antelope Island,
which is easily one of my favorite places that we've discovered on these business trips.

While driving along the Island.

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If you're ever in the Salt Lake City region of Utah, I highly recommend taking the short drive out to Antelope Island.  It's a state park about 30 - 40  minutes out, depending on traffic and how well you listen to your GPS.  

Photo from up near Buffalo Point. 

Some quick information for those of you unfamiliar with the spot; its an island out in the middle of a lake, accessible only by driving down a narrow, two lane causeway that spans the gap between the mainland and the island.  During low tide, you'll see tons and tons of birds just scattered along the shore line on both sides, however, and this is a personal favorite, if you get there early in the morning, there will be a thick layer of fog that blankets the road, lending itself to the spirit of adventure that drives so many down this road to begin with.  Once out there, you will have the option to hike, bike, ride horseback, boat, view wildlife and visit the one of 'the best places' to experience the Great Salt Lake on the beach side.  All of that is amazing in and of itself, but here's the real catch: The Island is populated by a herd of Bison ranging anywhere between 400 and 600 strong, depending on what time of the year you visit.  On top of that, there are the more elusive Antelope, for which the island is named, as well as Bighorn Sheep, Mule Deer, and a variety of birds and reptiles. For a fee, you can book a morning of horseback riding at the Fielding Garr Ranch where they'll take you out around the island, climbing the mountain, looking for buffalo, and seeing some amazing sites as you ride side by side. 

This Bison decided to linger for quite a while.

This year when I went, it was much warmer than it has been in the past, but still quite enjoyable.  In the past we have hiked much of the Island, in one case even getting stuck on a rock for a while when part of the herd we were watching decided to stop on the path down.  

Waiting out some Bison in the morning fog.

The herd will also get relatively close to the cars, which is pretty awesome when you're wanting to see them.  Naturally, and this should go without saying and yet I find so often that people surprise you when it comes down to 'common sense', the Bison are still wild animals, and just like any other living thing deserve to be treated with respect, so don't honk your horn or shout and holler at them.  I for one don't believe in 'unprovoked animal attacks', so be aware of how close you are and what the animals around you are doing.  That being said, its a pretty awesome thing that you can observe these amazing animals so close, and in a setting that brings you back to a pioneer feel (as much as paved roads and cars can manage.)

There is a small fee for accessing the park, and the horse back riding is an extra expense should you choose to do that, but for the most part, everything else is free.  There is a food option out there, over by the guest center (which includes a museum with information about the island's past and the animals you can encounter there), where you can also get some pretty fun souvenirs.  In fact, one of my favorite posters in my room comes from there.

There are tons of areas to stop and go hiking for those of you who like to wander around by foot.  I myself recently sprinted up to the top of Buffalo Point, where I had a solo view of the island and lake around me.  From the various spots that i'd wandered, the incline tends to be pretty steady, so I don't recommend it for people with knee issues or unsteady footing.  I do recommend proper shoes (perhaps even ones that go up your ankles, given the terrain) and having a sweater on hand, as you'd be surprised at the temperature changes throughout the day.

While coming down from my solo throne on Buffalo Point.

Utah has constantly impressed me each time i've gone out there, and while I hope to keep adding more 'dots to my map', Antelope Island will remain a constant for me as one of my favorite places to visit

when in the area.

While on the ride, we stopped to enjoy the view for a spell.